Category Archives: mutts

Atlanta-founded nonprofit has placed more than 10,000 animals in loving homes across 18 states

AC Pup, a four-year old mixed breed “celebrity” in Macon, Georgia, will work in communities nationwide to spread the word about animal issues and enlist support using his network of more than 10,000 Facebook followers.

Founded in 1998 by Atlanta veterinarian Dr. Michael Good, Homeless Pet Clubs are free-to-establish and give students, civic leaders and business owners a way to share their love of animals by promoting animal rescue, responsible pet ownership, adoption of shelter animals and animal welfare. There are currently more than 300 clubs and more than 50 rescue partners across 18 states. Together with parent organization, The Homeless Pet Foundation (HPF), Homeless Pet Clubs has placed more than 10,000 animals in loving homes over the past 10 years.

The partnership between Homeless Pet Clubs and AC Pup utilize the dog’s social media popularity to inform, educate and persuade community members to actively engage in networking to find homes for all adoptable pets.

Rescued as a four-week old puppy after being abandoned and exposed to freezing temperatures, AC Pup has served as mascot for Macon-area nonprofit Central Georgia CARES for four years. His duties include spreading CARES’s mission of emphasizing, among other beliefs, the need for spay/neuter of pets, the elimination of animal abuse and the inclusion of humane education in school curriculum.

AC Pup’s mascot responsibilities also include penning weekly columns for The Telegraph, a McClatchy newspaper and quarterly articles for Southern Styles magazine. Written from the perspective of a rescue dog, AC Pup shares photos of adoptable pets and was recently named Animal Grand Marshal for the Cherry Blossom parade held during Macon’s enormously popular Cherry Blossom Festival.

To learn more about Homeless Pet Clubs, AC Pup or to get involved or start a club of your own, please visit www.homelesspetclubs.org.

Homeless Pet Clubs (HPC) give students, civic leaders, and business owners a way to share their love of animals by promoting animal rescue, responsible pet ownership, adoption of shelter animals, and animal welfare. Response to the free-to-establish clubs has been overwhelming, with each club choosing pets to “sponsor” and promote for adoption. There are currently over 300 Homeless Pet Clubs and over 50 Rescue Partners with new clubs and rescue partners being added weekly. Together with parent organization, The Homeless Pet Foundation (HPF), Homeless Pet Clubs has placed more than 10,000 animals in loving homes over the past 10 years

There’s a wide world of dog books to explore… here are a few very different ones… each make great gifts for animal lovers.

Fistful of Collars, 5th in the Spencer Quinn series, with Chet the dog narrator/sleuth… Chet and Bernie the dynamic duo of the Little Detective Agency encounter a cat, Hollywood and are off on another funny action adventure. Hollywood has gone to the dogs and Chet and Bernie’s new assignment is a self-proclaimed cat person, and his feline friend Brando has taken an instant dislike to Chet. And a fun tale ensues.

We drove deeper into the desert, Bernie at the wheel, Thad riding shotgun with Brando on his lap, me still in back. After not too long, Bernie turned off the blacktop and followed a dirt track up toward some big red rocks, a track that petered out before we got there. Bernie stopped the car.

“What’s going on?” Thad said.

“Want to see something interesting?” Bernie said.

“Like what?” Thad checked his watch.

“Let’s make it a surprise.”

“I hate surprises.”

Bernie smiled, one of those smiles of his that’s just for himself—and me, of course, goes without saying—and we all piled out of the car, me hitting the ground first. We walked up toward the red rocks, me in the lead, then Bernie, Thad, and Brando, actually moving under his own power. Once—this was back on our trip to San Diego—Bernie said that the fog came in on little cat feet, a remark that I’d never been able to forget no matter how hard I’d tried, and that was how Brando moved along, like he was made of cloud, weighing nothing, although in fact he looked pudgy to me.

Royal Treatment, a Natural Approach to Wildly Healthy Pets by Dr. Barbara Royal is a handy encyclopedia of the world of pets including what wild animals teach us, ailments including cancer with suggested cures, alternative ones and how to deal effectively with pets. Handy charts, tips, facts and info about diet, dog foods, raw food recipes, cat litter, what to do if your pet is hit by a car, bleeding, vomiting, experienced a trauma and so much more. There are specific stories of particular pets to illustrate the topics.

Dr. Barbara Royal is a passionate, dedicated, and innovative veterinarian with a unique approach to medicine. Her patients have included countless different species from German shepherds at her private practice, to baby owls in the wild, to zebras in the zoo. Her clients are the humans who live for their pets, much like she does. Her ability to lend a voice to sick or injured animals and carry out the best treatment for them is unmatched.

An expert diagnostician with a background in zoo and wildlife medicine, Dr. Royal has learned that adhering to the teachings of Western medicine is often not the best way to fully cure her patients. With the clinical experience to know when to use surgery, medications, and alternative methods, plus an observant and empathetic understanding of the evolutionary needs of her patients, she individually tailors the Royal Treatment to ensure that each pet (and owner!) lives as happily and healthfully as possible.

The knowledge she has gained from wild animals gives her valuable insight into the cat in your kitchen and the dog in your living room. Our pets have all evolved from wild species and adapted to domestic life in many ways, but their natural characteristics are genetically fixed. In order for our pets to meet their full health potential, we must be mindful of these natural nutritional, emotional, and physical needs. Applying common sense in this way, along with the support of medicine, nutrition, elements of Eastern medicine, and physical rehabilitation, fosters an animal’s natural inclination toward optimal health and immunity. There is no placebo effect in animal medicine, and Dr. Royal has seen amazing results with her integrative approach, time and time again.

A must-have for all pet owners. Dr. Royal empowers animal lovers to lift their pets into a realm of natural health and happiness that will be palpable from shiny coat to bouncy step.

The Divinity of Dogs by Jennifer Skiff, True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man’s Best Friend…

FromThe Divinity of Dogs: “As much as we look up at the stars and know there is more than life on earth, the divinity of dogs is just as unexplainable and profound. They may be the purest example of divine love in an earthly soul many of us ever experience. If we take their lead, open our hearts and embrace their love, we may just find our own journey a lot more enlightening.” Jennifer Skiff

“Whether you believe dogs are divine or a gift from the Divine, The Divinity of Dogs gives you permission to accept what you know: dogs provide us with a clear example of all that is good. They are healers, educators, protectors, and tangible examples of divine love. For those of you who agree with this philosophy this book confirms all we know and puts an exclamation point on it!

‘My dogs have been the reason I have woken up every single day of my life with a smile on my face. They have protected me from mean people and have given me insight into potential partners. They have been my children and my parents. They have loved me the most. I am among the ranks of millions of people who appreciate the souls of dogs and know they are a gift of pure love and an example of all that is good. More than anything, they have taught me how to be a better person. I’m not alone. The world is filled with people who have reached the same conclusion and are happy to share why.

• Scott Thornsley thought his life was over. He lost his job of 19 years, and his wife left him. He felt no one loved or wanted him. He decided to kill himself. At the very moment he chose to act on his decision, his Rottweiller Emma ran into the room, grabbed his hand ferociously, and pulled him to the front door. What happened next, in the darkest moment of his life, saved him.

• Joy Peterkin lost her home and belongings in Hurricane Katrina – but she still had her Chihuahua, Little Bit. Just as Joy was finding some normalcy in her life, Little Bit began persistently nudging a spot on her breast. In this book, we find out what Little Bit knew that doctors didn’t.

Suzann Yue’s Snort’s Special Gift is a very special book, one that transcends the death of a family pet and shows young ones the possibilities of life after death. Based upon the author’s family and their dog, Snort, with whom they all had a good time, I must admit that I was touched reading the author’s daughter’s class essay on her best friend, Snort, after he had died. Apparently good writing skills run in the family! Lin Wang’s nicely flowing watercolors add real depth and meaning to the poignant words of both the author and her daughter. I think that they were the real reason that my tears flowed so copiously.

Winner of a Mom’s Choice Award, this is a book to be treasured. The last page even includes a place to which you can affix your own personal pet photograph, along with suggested inscriptions.

Snort’s Gift, the only thing is the story started at the ending… there was no beginning or middle, so readers don’t really get to know the dog or family. How/when did they get the dog? how old was the dog? happy memories ? funny quirks of the dog? Would have liked more info, specific details to fill in this important story.

A different take on a dating service. matchmaker matchmaker make me a match… a total sucker for mutts and down-on-their-luck rescue dogs, this book is Beth Kendrick’s love letter to canines everywhere. Bad dogs and the women who love them will adore this funny and heartwarming tale about true love with a four legged furry friend.

Lara Madigan has a gift. She can help you find your soulmate—your canine soulmate, that is. As a dog trainer with a soft spot for strays, she’s found perfect homes for sulky Shih Tzus, broken-down Border collies, and diabolical Dalmatians. But while she’ll always make room for one more rescue mutt, she’s not sure she’s ready to commit to another human being. Especially after her live-in boyfriend drops the bomb: He’s not a dog person.

Horrified and temporarily homeless, Lara and her furry pack move in with her mother, a wealthy fashionista who forbids even a single drop of drool. As word gets around the exclusive gated community, Lara is overwhelmed with demands for her services. A model wants personal training for her overweight “flabrador”; an aging socialite preps her pedigreed puppy for dog show domination… If Lara can survive the breakup, the outrageous requests of her high-maintenance clientele, and her dogs’ systematically destruction of her mother’s McMansion, she might finally find the rescue dog who rescues her in return– leading her straight to the guy who could be HER perfect match.

Ideally, shelters should be places, way stations where pets get the assistance they need to get adopted. Instead, way too many of them are killing factories … where innocent pets come in and never make it out alive, where animals are killed in horrific inhumane ways, where shelter workers are cruel, insensitive and downright mean and don’t deserve to work with innocent pets…shelters should be saving lives not ending them. Shelters should be in the LIFE SAVING business. How can WE turn this around???

Imagine…

Follow the money… and Greed… in a country where War is Good Business and Greed is Standard, is it any wonder that homeless and poor people and animals are cruelly disposed of by the Money/Profit at ALL Cost crowd? But it DOES NOT have to continue to be this way. There are people making a difference and saving lives.

An interview with Nathan Winograd

As Director of Operations for the San Francisco SPCA, Winograd was instrumental in advancing some of the most progressive shelter programs in the nation, and helped establish the first No Kill city. By making a commitment to stop the killing as Executive Director for the Tompkins County (NY) SPCA, he put programs in place that took Tompkins County No Kill.

In your experience, what’s the most critical step to build a No Kill community?
If you ask 100 animal welfare professionals this question, all 100 would say spay/neuter. But all 100 would be wrong. That is not to say that high volume, low cost sterilization services aren’t important, they are. In fact, they are crucial. But that is not why most dogs and cats are currently being killed in shelters. It isn’t “pet overpopulation.” What we are actually suffering from as a nation, what is actually killing a high number of animals, is an over-population of shelter directors mired in the failed philosophies of the past and complacent with the status quo. We know how to stop the killing, but many shelter directors refuse to implement the No Kill model. As a result, a widespread, institutionalized culture of lifesaving is not possible without wholesale regime change in shelters and national animal protection groups, replacing them with compassionate leaders who reject killing as a method for achieving results.

Simply, shelters are not adopting out enough animals… it is NOT that animals are unwanted, too many (overpopulation) nor is it that there are not enough homes/adopters…

America’s approximately 4,000 animal shelters are currently adopting out more than 4 million pets per year – between 2 and 3 per shelter, per day. By simply increasing that by an additional 2 pets per shelter, per day, the 3 million healthy and treatable pets who currently lose their lives in shelters will be saved.

A Kentucky community recently celebrated its second No Kill year. A Canadian community reduced killing by 70%. A New Zealand animal control shelter finished the year with a 96% rate of lifesaving. Another in Australia surpasses even that. A municipal shelter in Nevada is saving 95% of all animals, even with a per capita intake rate that is four times the rate of Los Angeles, seven times the rate of New York City, and over twice the national average. How can you know whether shelters are truly doing all they can to save the life of animals? The answer is the “90% Rule.”

Shelters that work with their local animal rescue organizations, create FUN adoption events, provide low cost/free spay/neutering clinics, photograph animals in a positive way, obtain media coverage on a regular basis, provide necessary services for the animals to make them adoptable, and do EVERYTHING possible to Save Lives and make ADOPTION their FIRST PRIORITY are what is needed. How can YOU support YOUR local shelter to SAVE MORE LIVES???

ALL dogs (and cats and other animals) deserve to be treated with kindness, respect, dignity and love… and who knows that dog you adopted or fostered just may rescue you… like Hercules… imagine what a terrible waste it would have been if Hercules had been killed

the big animal organizations who are supposed to be protecting animals such as the ASPCA, Humane Society of the US and others need to get on board with creative, working solutions for increasing adoption rates at shelters, SAVING LIVES and becoming NO KILL not standing in the way of PROGRESS.

…the kind of concerted effort to fight No Kill across the country that the ASPCA takes requires people. It isn’t Ed Sayres sitting alone at his keyboard. He and other leaders of the ASPCA may be calling the shots, but the people of the ASPCA are implementing his regressive policies. Ed Sayes may have ordered Oreo killed, but the people of the ASPCA killed her. Ed Sayres may have ordered Oreo’s Law to be defeated, but the people of the ASPCA walked the halls of the state capitol in Albany and lobbied legislators to vote “No.” Ed Sayres may have ordered the ASPCA to oppose No Kill in San Francisco, but the people of the ASPCA testified against it in front of the San Francisco Animal Welfare Commission. Ed Sayres may have ordered sick kittens sent to New York City’s medieval and abusive pound, but it is ASPCA employees who delivered them there to be killed.

Yes, I am an Extremist according to this…and am also horrified by this info. Had no idea, makes me sick, sick, sick … you would think that people who work with animals would LOVE them and want to save them, protect them, take care of them. Just makes me ill to think that these big organizations all they want to do is kill, kill, kill. I also wonder if it is Follow the Money…

How MUCH MONEY do they get to Keep on KILLING as opposed to SAVING LIVES???

Are you an “extremist”? Take the quiz.

I want the killing to end.

I think it is wrong for shelters to neglect and abuse animals.

If other communities can end the killing of savable animals, I believe my community should also.

I care about animals and because I care about animals, I do not want harm to come to them.

I believe in democracy and engaging my elected officials to create social change.

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you are an “extremist” according to the ASPCA. If you answered “No” to all of these questions, the ASPCA thinks you’ll make a great shelter director and they will fight to defend and protect you.

some things to consider when adopting a pet, go to your local shelter and find your new best friend… spay/neuter, and if you are able, think about getting a pit bull / mix… older pet, chi, or some of the other pets that get left behind such as the black beauties! also, most pit bulls do not make it out of the shelters alive in the US. California has an overpopulation of chi’s. Too many healthy pets end up on death row due to overbreeding, puppy mills, greedy breeders, etc.

Even Bo, the First Dog, wants us to help stop euthanizing sheltered and homeless pets… imagine how much money goes towards killing shelter pets. Thinking about how many thousands of tax dollars goes towards killing animals makes me want to donate my tax returnrefundto a No kill shelter.

don’t forget some of the very special former Vick dogs are available for adoption… read all about how to give one of these amazing dogs a home…

There are some animal advocates who are committed to creating a No Kill Nation so shelters and communities jump on board. Creativity and imagination plus persistence and willingness to save lives against the odds are making this dream come true in various communities around the USA. Make the story of Rockwall or Austin, the story of your community… (click on the pdf link at the end of the No Kill blog, link below)…

Read this inspirational story about two naive people in Texas who built a compassionate and humane empire with a grassroots group of volunteers… the staff of the shelter were committed to laziness. Hard to imagine for people who love animals, but the staff kill animals because they do not want to work hard. Obviously, people like this DO NOT BELONG and should NOT work at any animal shelter. Another obstacle to NO KILL but don’t know how it works, is IF dead animal bodies have value, are sold by shelters to rendering plants who grind them up to put into name brand dog and cat food (does anyone know how this works?) then shelters may want to or could be addicted to that revenue stream. UGH… But Pam and Michael did NOT accept the staff’s excuses. Due to their efforts, the shelter had a stunning 97% rate of lifesaving for one of the busiest months of the year, an August to remember.

what if each of the Patrick movement pages people got together and raised funds for a magic bus, called for volunteers and animal rescue groups to travel to places where animals are in high kill shelters, even in another state, on a regular basis, once a month? quarterly? and bring 100 animals to where they can be adopted/fostered???

What makes a good shaggy dog tale? A few good guy characters, lovable, flawed, fun to relate to and get to know over time, a plot with surprising twists, treats and turns, mix in a bit of humor, turn up the heat with some clues, bad guys, an unexpected adventure or two, more than a little fingernail biting peril, a dog as narrator, and you’ve got a heart and soul warming blend without the syrupy sweet sentimentality of too many books with pets that play a starring role in them.

I cannot stand reading those pet books where the hero dog is a too cute super canine with antics like no other and ends up dying in the end. Gushing over other people’s pets and kids gets old quick. If that is what you are looking for this is NOT it, thankfully.

I don’t remember the radio show The Shadow Knows but in this case I’d say the Nose Knows… this whodunit book is one of the tales in a mystery series that will delight dog lovers. Chet and Bernie make a great team at the Little Detective Agency. Bernie, the human, is a private detective and Chet is his loyal pooch companion and fellow sleuth. Chet the Jet is a dog who failed K-9 school. He is a mutt with one white ear and one black ear and his communications with Bernie are often telepathic. He enjoys riding shotgun in Bernie’s old Porsche, checking out the local prey and food, slurping up cool water, having a swim and other canine pursuits. He is a very lovable character and the book is laugh out loud funny. There are some human issues that Chet just doesn’t understand as he explains along the way. This series is going on my top 10 all-time favorite author list.

Kidnapping, Murder and Mayhem, Crooked Old Boys and a Gold Nugget adds up to a Wild Ride: Oh My!

The books are well written and from Chet’s point of view. Chet, the narrator, is k9 adept at sniffing out the bad guys in every situation. In this book, the fourth tale of the series, Bernie is hired to be a divorced mother’s “friend.” The plot thickens when they arrive at the wilderness camp where the son Devin is supposed to be and find that he is missing. Someone at the camp later turns up dead and Bernie is wrongfully plotted against. Will Chet help Bernie solve the crime? Did the ex-husband kidnap the boy? Who killed the dead guy? And will Chet receive a suitable and substantial K9 reward for keeping his nose on the job?

I forgot that I read the first book Dog Gone It a couple of years ago. And enjoyed it too so I just ordered the two books I missed in between, To Fetch a Thief and Thereby Hangs a Tail. You can order the books on Amazon or go to your nearest book store. Ours, Borders, just closed so Amazon was my choice.

I laughed and cried and wondered what the heck was going on with this page turner. Could not put it down. Rooting for Chet and Bernie from page one on. Each book stands on its own although there were a few references to other books made along the way that I did not understand since I had not read the other books. They were asides in my humble opinion that slightly took away from the action. Not enough to keep me away. I guess they were thrown in there for the fans to feel an insider rush or were supposed to be clues? Don’t know. The only comparison I have is to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series where there is either not commentary like that or it is relevant and/or explained. But I guess being a dog Chet remembers cases and people while Stephanie’s distractions are food, family or fooling around with men which I can relate to.

But I agree, there’s genuine suspense and intrigue, combined with humor and deep insight into the bond between dog and humans. From a dog’s-eye perspective, crime has never been so much fun.

I cannot imagine my Cici being so loyal nor limber as Chet but I can imagine how she would get distracted in many of the situations that Chet gets in. Well, she is after all a polka dot princess not a sleuth dog. I did recognize her universal doggie ways and antics in Chet which made the read extra hilarious. Nancy Drew for grownups, and gone to the dogs. Maybe Stephanie should get a dog but then again Bob is enough dog for her and Rex a better choice as her pet. But I digress.

A great read that makes you appreciate your best friend. A winning combo. Four paws up !

There are so many situations/dilemmas we animal lovers find ourselves in daily. Sometimes, we see dogs on the Internet or cats or other animals and we want to help them all. But alas we cannot. Limited time, resources, energy. Some people post incessantly, some try to change laws to save lives, and others donate what they can. All good although the postings get to be too much for me. So many animals in need, dying, on death row, abused, treated cruelly, not getting the homes and care they need. Breaks your heart. Then occasionally, a heartwarming tale with a happy ending makes your day.

Now, this morning, I scanned my facebook news to see if I could post something somewhere, as my way of contributing. And I saw this story below. What would you do in this situation if you were the truck driver?

A group/facebook page called People for Pit Bulls had written/posted about this a number of times and were asking for media attention so I first posted what they wrote onto The Patrick Movement for California page and other pages. Then I suggested that they contact local media, I found one local media person and wrote to her myself. I shared this with P4P and suggested that they get as many people as people to write/call local media in Bakersfield. This is what I wrote:

a truck driver from Pennsylvania found this little dog limping on the side of the road in Bakersfield. The driver had to leave the dog at the local animal shelter where the dog will be put to sleep unless help can be found asap. The truck driver will donate as much as possible to get the dog vet care and/or boarding until a proper home can be found. Is there a local rescue group who can help this dog? Can you write about this situation? Thank you.

Thanks for your interest. I’ll forward this to my editor, though I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to cover it. I’m not sure if we can recommend any particular local rescue groups, though just off the top of my head I might suggest contacting the local Humane Society or SPCA.

Thanks again,
Jill

I think it is important when in the process of doing a rescue, to not blame the media, other people, or shelters, it is counterproductive.

P4P wrote that they had contacted doggie magazines and some other folks. WRONG. Doggie magazines require MONTHS lead time. Newspapers are DAILY. So is TV and radio. Plus, this is not a national story. (well, the deplorable state of our animal shelters IS a national story). But the fastest, easiest and best way, in my humble opinion, as a reporter/editor with media background, also as a publicist for 25+ years, is to contact THE LOCAL MEDIA. Also online media if you have contacts or can find them.

This is what they wrote:

People For Pit Bulls According to a Marketing Group in NYC on the news. He (Patrick) was very well marketed….I read that in the New York Times months ago and a cruelty group posted on it a few months ago also…I have just found it strange that there are so many abuse cases, some as bad and worse, and they never get the attention they should. I am glad PAtrick got it, but now others need it…perhaps it is in the money.

what I wrote back:

Patrick got media attention because people CARED about him, and there was VISUAL PROOF of his abuse. Dogs are NOT marketing material. People responded to Patrick OUT OF THEIR HEARTS not some marketing scheme.

I realize that the people are probably upset, frustrated, and stressed because they’re trying to save a dog’s life. Just don’t bite the hands that are trying to FEED YOU.

Now there was another post saying that someone is willing to adopt the dog, but a rescue still needs to pull him from the shelter.

Is there anyone reading this that can help in Bakersfield or nearby?????

Good fortune. I hope this turns out well.

I am writing about this because this is a very common scenario that I see over and over and over again. There HAS to be a better way. There HAS GOT to be a better shelter system. And there HAS to be better education. People have to understand that dogs are not something to throw away like trash by the side of the road or in a garbage bin. That if they are moving, allergic, the dog has fleas, barks too much, they are having tough times financially or they’re having a baby, that is NO REASON/EXCUSE to GET RID of their pet dog, cat, iguana, rabbit, whatever. THERE ARE SOLUTIONS if one wants to find them. If one is willing there is a way. If you have a pet, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to feed, house, keep safe, train, and LOVE. If you throw your pet away, ie, take it to a shelter, it will more than likely END UP DEAD.

How someone who has loved an animal for any length of time can do that is beyond me. I once had to take a sweet kitty cat to a shelter (Pasadena) to get put down because it was terminally ill of cancer and the owners had thrown the poor kitty out in the street. They had that kitty for 15 years. And then their son/daughter had a baby. So out with the kitty cat into the street !!!! I had been feeding the cat and then I talked to other neighbors and they were also feeding the cat. Yet, the cat was very skinny. Finally, someone suggested that I take the kitty to a vet or shelter. I did not want to do it. But I put on my grown up pants and went. The vet confirmed that the kitty was dying and in pain and it would take a lot of surgery and still not save the kitty. She was willing to take the kitty but suggested the humane solution was to put the kitty down. I cried the entire time I took the kitty to the vet, at the vet and at the shelter. The BEST shelter EVER. They let me be in a private room with the kitty to say good-bye and pray which I did. They gave me all the time I needed, too. Very beautiful. And when it was over, I was sad but knew the kitty was in a better place. And when I told the owner, she cried and THANKED ME for doing what she did NOT have the courage to do. I did not tell her that it could have been different. That she had inflicted how many months of pain onto that kitty. IF she had been responsible, perhaps that kitty could have lived its last years with LOVE and DIGNITY in a new home with another family. She could have asked the neighbors. Someone might have taken that kitty into their home. Personally, that is what I would have done. But I have learned that people do not always do the right thing. Oh well.

What would YOU Do??? Curious minds want to know. Thanks.

Now for some inspiration. A video I created for Patrick. Look at the DIFFERENCE that LOVE and CARE made for this once starved and thrown in the trash dog, transformed into a healthy and handsome boy !!!

and I also made a video for The Vicktory dogs… look at how far they have come. Once, made to fight or used as bait dogs, chained up 24/7, unsocialized, traumatized and abused daily, 7-8 have now become therapy dogs, and most of the 52 dogs have been adopted into happy homes. It is worthwhile telling the GOOD NEWS over and over again.

NewsHound and Dog Travel Expert

Welcome! I'm CeliaSue, a creative California-based freelance writer who wants to help you travel with your pets and enjoy the ride. I provide reliable travel info for California, and the Southwest USA (occasionally the rest of the country), plus lifestyle inspiration about being a doggie mama on the road with a spoiled yet friendly polka dot princess named Cici. I also write about romance, eco friendly, spiritual, healthy and luxury travel for various publications.

Kait & John Seyal, along with their two dogs Max & Grace, walked across the US from DE to CA. They walked to promote pet therapy and animal rescue. Along the way, they stopped at hospitals, nursing homes, veteran facilities, … Continue reading →

Cici does not fetch but she sure does like Fetch Fuel. And I like that the company, GoGo Pet Products, uses only human grade and high quality ingredients, the lab and manufacturer are located in northern California and the easy … Continue reading →

Dog Wedding Trend Goes Hollywood Pet Parents Can Enter to See Their Dog in the New Movie “The Dog Wedding” and Win $10,000 in Prizes from Stella & Chewy’s, BarkBox, DogTV and More Have you had a dog wedding? Was your dog your best man, bridesmaid or ringbearer? If so, enter #TheDogWedding Photo Contest (www.thedogwedding.com/contest) for the chance to […]

We are happy to announce that we made a list of Top 20 Pet Bloggers… from Trip Advisor… Yipppeeee…. Check it out: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/blog/top-20-pet-bloggers-of-2015/#sthash.kJZ4ecxi.dpbs

Puppy Love

Donations to the pet food bank is much appreciated. Email, call or just hit paypal. Thank you.